Indianapolis preservation commission denies Holy Cross demolition request; parish urged to pursue reuse talks

The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission on Oct. 1 denied a request from St. Philip Neri Parish to demolish the Church of the Holy Cross and its adjacent rectory, voting unanimously to refuse a certificate of appropriateness for demolition.

The commission’s decision followed hours of testimony from the parish, engineers and neighborhood advocates. Paul Carroll, representing St. Philip Neri, told commissioners that engineering estimates and masonry repair quotes ranged from $7.5 million to $8.5 million and that the parish did not have funds to make those repairs. Carroll said continued ownership of the property costs the parish about $80,000 a year and “the only option at this point” is demolition, citing canonical restrictions that, he said, limit the parish’s ability to sell or repurpose the building.

The denial came after neighbors, preservation groups and elected officials urged the commission to block demolition and to…